Abstract

Wound care is a complex area, and there are several factors that can influence the choice of dressing. These factors include: the care setting, type of wound, desired frequency of dressing change, and estimated duration of treatment. Further, dressing choice can be influenced by complications such as wound infection. In addition, when choosing a dressing, clinicians providing wound care need to consider the following factors: wound bed characteristics; ease of dressing application and removal; conformability; exudate management; dressing wear time; and tolerability by the patient, including the effect on lifestyle and quality of life. If all these factors are taken into account, patients are more likely to be concordant with treatment and a positive outcome achieved. For these reasons, a holistic approach to care can inform dressing selection. There are six case studies of patients presenting wounds that showed improvement after treatment with dressings from the Allevyn Gentle range.